So the final analysis for me, based on the discussion, is PAY extra $20 and be 100% sure just in case ????
If I kept getting failed restores with Images, and couldn't pinpoint why, I would definitely spend 20 dollars on windows disks.
One more thing is the time involved.
I just reinstalled wxp home from the factory disks. Took the better part of 2 days. About a hundred microsoft updates (those were all since SP3) took most of a day.
A good image would have taken under an hour, and would have already had all that stuff in it.
So one approach is to get the factory install disks, get your system set up to suit you, then make an image of it.
Then, if you have a hardware failure, as stated before, make a new image after you get back up and running.
Again...when images and clones work..life is good. BUT when 1% of time (for whatever the reason) it doesn't work, then what ???
$20 for Factory disc is a good insurance. I think the uncertainly enters when HD is changed.
When one makes image/clone files, nobody REALLY REALLY knows IF it will work 100% of time.. even sellers will not stand 100%.
I trust image files, and used them several times. But having factory disc (only had to buy one factory disc out of 12 laptops in last 5+yrs) makes me sleep better.
It has been fun learning session for me...Thanks to all
Tiger
Of course factory disc will not restore programs and data installed, but if image/clone does not restore OS then well....screwed !!!! So why take the chance. For $20, it seems like a good insurance to me.
With all due respect that appears to be foolish.
If a nice kind insurance company is prepared to rebuild my house when I pay them a $20 premium AFTER it is burnt down,
then no one would pay insurance premiums in advance of disaster.
Why can you not WAIT for unrecoverable disaster before spending $20 ?
I just tried to restore Macrium and Easeus image onto NEW HD (same size and larger HD than original). Two failed and one succeeded. I have no idea why or why not. I don't know about Clone ???
What is a failure ?
Did the Boot CD's succeed in reading from the image file and writing to the HDD without any errors ?
Was there any indication or warning that would suggest a problem ?
Was everything perfect apart from the inability to Boot Up ?
I guess you were not trying hard enough !
You ask about Clone. That is another Macrium option you could have tried.
What do you mean by "same size and larger HD" ?
Does this mean you have more than one HDD ?
Did you try both the Linux and the BartPE BOOT discs from Macrium ?
Did the BartPE create perfectly without any errors or warnings ?
Assuming that Easeus provides at least one flavour of Boot CD,
then the absolute minimum number of BOOT CD's to test is 3,
so 2 fails + 1 Success indicates at least one works, and the other failures are not relevant.
Are you really sure that your new HDD is reliable and fully compatible with the rest of your computer,
including not just the hardware but also the software drivers ?
Alan
Alan:
I think you are starting to beat a dead horse. There are many options in life and we are free to choose as we wish based on what we find as facts.
Also, some of us are not as qualified as you and we simply want quick and easy options. Personally, I really don't wanna know how image/clone works in detail. It gives me a headache and I have other interest that occupies me. Thus I trust experts like you..I am grateful, don't get me wrong.
Because I asked, now I know my options.
I am grateful for forum members who can give me technical help when I ask since I don't keep up with fine details.
Tiger
Dennis reminded me to post my results about restoring image to new HD..so here it is...
I restored Macrium images to new HD. OS and everything were restored 100% and booted fine.. no need for factory CD..
So image restored to New HD and booted fine as Macrium was designed to do...
But same effort failed before too...so go figure !!!
Anyway, Dennis thought forum might benefit from my experiment..hope it helped.
Tiger
Tiger, I'm very quietly ecstatic here that it's worked out for you in the end.
I'm sure a lot of other folk will be pleased to hear of your success installing an Image to a new hard drive.
Well done.
Dead: probably not (though I'm not particularly familure with Macrium)
Dying (clicking but still able to run): I've done a perfect clone with Miray's products. Freezing the drive (in a ziplock bag) can help some.
a clone is a clone so if you clone the drive (and not just the partition)you have a perfect copy of the drive.
I always wondered
How do you freeze a drive in a ziplock bag?
I mean, do you have to like vacuum seal it?
Wrap it with a dry paper towel first?
Or do you just dump it into a bag, close it, and freeze?
naw you just place the drive in a ziplock (if you can use the brand name as it uses color to prove it is completly closed (you want zero moisture in it.)